A method of this kind is known from applicant's joint copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 490,653 filed July 22, 1974, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,161 issued Dec. 21, 1976. By this method certain characteristic features can be detected by finding out if, in the whole character to be recognized, there are portions of its geometry which are in accordance with previously given fixed definitions of characteristic features. It is generally an inconvenience, however, that if the geometry of the character portion and the definition of the feature do not fully agree, this feature is considered not to occur. This difficulty is especially experienced when dealing with handwritten characters. It can be met by so establishing the definitions of the features that the requirements are met when the features do occur, though not in their ideal or clearest form. This gives rise to another difficulty, since information is obtained as to whether a character element does or does not satisfy the definition of a feature, there are no quantitative data with regard to a more or less pronounced or distinct appearance of the relevant feature in the examined character.